Improvement in combined rollers and planters



0. KNUDSON;

Combined Rollers and Planters.

Patentedluly22,1873

AM PHOTU-LHHOGRAPHIC ca mr(osawa-s pnoctss) UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIOE.

OLEY KNUDSON, OF EFFINGHAM, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN COMBINED ROLLERS AND PLANTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 141,144, dated July 22, 1873; application filed March 18, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OLEY KNUDSON, of Effin gham, in the county of Effingham and State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Combined Corn-Planter and Roller; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a top-plan view. Fig. 2 is abottom-plan view, showing a portion of one of the rollers in section 5 and Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are detail views of parts detached.

Similar letters of reference in the accompanying drawings denote the same parts.

This invention has for its object to provide a combined corn-planter and land-roller, which in both capacities shall adapt itself to irregularities in the surface of the ground, and which can be caused to operate as a roller alone, or simultaneously as a planter and roller; and to these ends it consists, first, of two rectangular frames, located side by side, each having a seed-box near its front, and a roller journaled in its rear end, said frames being hinged together at their rear ends by any suitable means,

and at their front ends by a block having sockets through which their side beams pass, to which block is pivoted a bed-plate bearing a smaller central roller, which supports said front ends second, in locating one of the seedboxes in ways, enabling the same to slide transversely in its frame, and connecting it to the opposite frame by a hinged rod in such a manner as to adapt it to the independent motion of the hinged frame in passing over uneven surfaces, and enable it to preserve its proper position in relation to the seed-dropping devices; third, in the peculiar connection between the parts of the shaft or beam on which the seed-tubes are located, all which I will now proceed to describe.

In the drawings, A A represent two rectangular frames, located side by side, and hinged together at their rear ends at B, and at their forward ends by the metal block 0, the latter being provided with sockets D D, through which the contiguous side beams to of said frames pass, thus giving both frames sufficient independent play to adapt themselves to inequalities in the surface of the ground. In the rear ends of the frames A A, and journaled in the side beams a, are rollers E E of any suitable size, and in front'of the rollers E E, and located in cross-beams b b, are seed-boxes F F. G represents a small roller, journaled in lugs H H, which latter are pivoted to the block 0 by a vertical bolt, I, in such manner as to allow said lugs to turn freely with the roller G, which supports the front ends of the frames A A, and is connected to the tongue J by means of the curved braces K and the hinged strap L. The seed-boxes F F are provided with ordinary slides M, for the intermittent discharge of seed, said slides being operated by a vibratin g spring-lever, N, connecting-rodsO and O, and levers I, actuated by teeth R projecting from a frictionplate, S, in contact with the end of the roller E, in such manner as to reciprocate the slides M and discharge the seed from the boxes at regular intervals. The seed-box F is located in ways T, in such manner as to slide longitudinally on the same, and is connected by a curved arm, U, with the opposite frame A, said arm being hinged at U.

This provision is necessary to compensatev for the independent play of the frame A in passing over inequalities in the surface of the ground, it being necessary that the boxes F F should always remain. at the same distance apart, in order to preserve their proper relations with the lever N, and intermediate devices for operating the slides M; hence it will be seen that, when the frame A swings downward, the box F slides alongv the ways T toward the frame A, the arm U holding it to its place, and vice versa. Under the said boxes F F are located tubes or drillsV V, which are attached to shafts W W, the latter having bearings on the under sides of the framesAA, and extending across the same, as shown in Fig. 2. The shafts W W are connected at the center by a bent tongue, Y, on the shaft W, passing between the bifurcations of a similarly-bent tongue, Y, on the shaft W, as clearly shown in Fig. 5. This arrangement permits the parts WV W to turn together Whether they are in line with each other or not, and thus they are enabled to operate without reference to the relative positions of the frames A A. The lower ends of the drills V are connected by chains Z, passing over pulleys on the frames A A to their shafts \V \V, and the shaft W is provided with a weighted arm, 0, serving to counterbalance and hold the drills Vin the elevated position. The friction clutch or plate S rests in a recess in the end of the roller E, in the center of which is a conical projection, d, which fits into a corresponding recess in the plate S. The clutch or plate S is operated by a horizontal bent lever, e, pivoted on the under side of the frame A, Fig. 2, the bifurcated ends e of which grasp a collar, f, on the plate S, the lever a being, in turn, operated by an upright lever, g, pivoted to one of the front beams of the frame A.

It will be seen that, by holding the frictionplate' S in contact with the end of the roller, as shown in Fig. 2, the plate Swill fit closely on the tapering projection d, which latter is in the center of the roller. The plate S operates the planting devices in the manner already described, and can be readily thrown out of contact and suspend said operation, it being necessary. when this is done, to elevate the drills V V, and thus convert the whole into a roller. The advantage of this form of frictionclutch over the usual devices employed in this connection, particularly toothed clutches, are obvious. The tapering projection cl, and the corresponding bore of the plate S, insure their ready connection, at whatever point they are brought together, and the planting can be resumed in a field where it was left off, without depositing the first seed too near the last planted, or too far, by throwing the plate out of contact and turning it, by hand, to any desired point. The seed-boxes are so divided that the driver can always ascertain, from his seat, the number of kernels being planted at each dropping, and the slides are provided 1with suitable means for regulating the quanity.

The forward roller being pivoted so as to turn laterally, the whole device can be turned on a space equal to the square of its width, so that in rolling a field, unnecessary trampling of the surface is avoided, and the turning is as easily effected as that of a carriage. The machine being supported by the front roller, there is no weight excepting that of the pole exerted on the horses necks, and-the draft is rendered easier.

The connection of the connecting-rod O to the lever N is such as to admit of the independent play of the frames A A, while, by the arrangement of the rods 0 O and levers P, I am enabled to regulate the throw of the slides M to any desired extent, by varying the points of attachment of the rods to the levers. I am also enabled to distribute the leverage so as to get a greater throw of the slides M, by using smaller teeth on the friction-plate S than I possibly could by connecting the slides directly with the lever N.

It will be observed that I have carefully provided ,in all particulars for the independent play of the frames A A. 'The machine will therefore operate. as described, whether the rollers are in line with each other, or form an angle of any moderate degree. The seeddrills can be elevated, for instance, when one of the frames is on an inclined and the other on a level surface, as well as when both are horizontal, and the corn planter will work equally well under the same circumstances.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, is-

1. In a combined corn-planter and landroller, the hinged frames A A, adapted to conform to inequalities in the ground, and provided with the stationary seed-box F and sliding box F, the latter being adapted to accommodate itself to the independent movement of the frame A by means of the hinged arm U and ways T, substantially as described.

2. The shafts W W of the drills V V, connected by the bent single arm Y and bifurcated arm Y, substantially as described.

OLEY KNUDSON.

Witnesses:

MELVILLE CHURCH, O. F. BROWN. 

